Seams between a Rift
by Shinigamideathgirl
Summary: dh. AU. A chance and a mystery is forced onto Harry. Yet fate is never kind enough to warn you when things become rough. So when you fall too deep too fast who can you rely on?
1. Chapter One

Author: Shinigami  
  
AN: I wrote this a while ago, maybe last year I'm not sure, its really long and unfinished it's a slow story, this story doesn't follow the actual book's storyline, it original but using the Harry Potter characters of course.  
  
Summary: dh. AU. A chance and a mystery is forced onto Harry. Yet fate is never kind enough to warn you when things become rough. So when you fall too deep too fast who can you rely on? Fantasy/adventure/romance  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K Rowling and whatever else is suppose to be here, you can imagine it for yourself.  
  
Pairings: Draco/Harry. Positively the cutest, I guess there are other pairs but I'm not focusing on them. Ron/Hermione, maybe sb/rl or ss I have no idea as of yet lol   
  
Warnings: Slash, yaoi or homosexuality and err I guess just my taste of putting Harry in pain... I don't write lemon or lime or anything graphic but I'm never sure.  
  
Chapter one. A beginning of change  
  
The stars glowed angrily as Harry Potter deftly snuck out of the window of his room on the second floor of his uncle Dursley's house. Slowly edging from the ledge on his window, he leaned out far enough to snag a branch of an old tree. Jumping off quietly from the ledge, he hung there for a moment before swinging up onto the branch and quickly crawling to the base where he could hold onto the tree.  
  
Harry sat there and watched the sky resting his head on the trunk, he pulled his knees to his chest and shut his eyes.  
  
Harry jolted awake and gripped the tree breathing hard for a moment fearing he was falling off, he heard men shouting, curious he slipped from branch to branch until his small feet quietly touched the ground.  
  
He looked from side to side until he was certain there wasn't anyone looking, then dashed from behind his tree to the closest alleyway. Angling his head from behind the brick wall he watched fascinated as two men dueled, their swords clashing loudly as it struck the other.  
  
One man fell back and the other took the opportunity to thrust his sword into the man stomach, Harry slapped both hands over his mouth to stop from screaming.  
  
"That's what you get for opposing the Dark Lord,"  
  
"Arggh... w-wait ...you ..y-you'll be s-s-s-sorry when the c-child is found," stuttered the dying man, his voice curiously light for a man. The man standing up sneered hatefully and kicked the wounded man. Harry tried to breathe evenly and quietly as the man on the ground cried out.  
  
"This so called kid is a myth; why else would I be doing this?" The man stated as he pulled his sword out of his stomach and slashed off man's neck. The man standing up laughed maliciously, as he bent down and started searching the dead body.  
  
Harry pressed himself against the wall and shut his eyes, he was going to be in a lot of trouble if he was found. Harry peeked out from behind the wall and saw the dead man alone. To see or not to see? Harry bit his bottom lip and quietly walked up to the dead body, he quickly pinched his nose and backed away. Taking a deep breath, he crouched and looked at the dead man.  
  
He was young and didn't look much older than Harry himself though obviously much taller than Harry. He had dark blonde slightly brown hair his eyes had rolled to the back of his head leaving only white. Harry looked away from the handsome yet very dead face.  
  
"Oh man, you must have really ticked someone off." Harry whispered as he looked at an odd lump on the dead man's glove. Gently he pulled the glove off and examined it, he heard footsteps, Harry shoved the glove in his pocket and quickly stood up.  
  
"Boy!" Harry looked up at the approaching men, "Boy what... what is this!?" Damn should have run when he had the chance. He looked at the grotesque mess of the man and took a step back.  
  
"I found him like this," Harry answered defensively, trying to slow his pounding heart. The man looking at him was the bar owner down the street he had the blacksmith and a couple of farm hands with him. "I heard shouting... and I came out," Harry finally answered quite truthfully.  
  
"Did you see who did this?" the bar owner asked. "Search him," he ordered one of the farm hands. Harry stared at the large man and backed away. Harry stuck his hand in his pocket and slowly backed to the wall, he pulled out the glove and shoved it behind his back and dropped it.  
  
The farm hand walked towards him looking at him suspiciously.  
  
"Stop moving!" Barked the large man, Harry jumped at the noise and walked away from the wall towards the large man and surrendered to the rough search from the large man. "He's got nothing on him." The large man finally shouted back.  
  
Harry stepped away back to the wall and crouched there quickly putting the glove back in his pocket all the while no-one noticing. He stayed in that position until the men finished looking around the place for the murderer or anything suspicious.  
  
"Who are you boy? What did you see?" Harry stared at the man and slowly got up.  
  
"Harry. Two men fought and one... err killed the other." Harry said,  
  
"What did the killer look like?" the bar owner asked tiredly,  
  
"I didn't really see... um black hair?"  
  
"Where do you live?" Harry pointed to his uncle's house while keeping his eyes on the bar owner. The bar owner looked at him uneasily. "Go home. Boy if you remember anything worth listening too, tell me!" He finally said and quickly turned away and had men clearing the area.  
  
Harry watched them before turning and running back to his tree outside his window, and climbed back into his room. Shaking the thoughts of the dead man away Harry peered curiously at the lump in the glove.  
  
"So what do I have here then?" Harry whispered to himself as he studied the glove. He carefully touched the lump and waited, nothing happened. He rolled off his bed and fetched a knife, sitting back on his bed he stared at the lump willing it do something. When nothing happened, he bit his bottom lip and ran the sharp object slowly over the glove's lump. The fabric fell away to reveal...a ball?  
  
Harry glared at the round object, he pulled it out and held it in his palm it was green, dull and the size of pebble. Harry sighed, all that work and nothing! He fell back onto his bed kicked the glove off and pulled the covers over him. Looking at the anonymous ball he placed it under his bed threw his glasses on his table and fell asleep.  
  
"GET UP! You no good excuse for a relative! GET UP! And do something to pay for you're stay and our generosity!" Harry jammed his hands over his ears as his aunt screeched from the other side of his door. Groaning he looked outside his window, it was still dark. He rolled out of his bed and felt around his table for his glasses, he picked them up and placed it on his face. Yawning he got up, stretched and blinked a few times trying to keep his eyes open.  
  
What did they want this early in the morning Harry thought to himself as he trudged out of his door and down the stairs. He stopped as he spotted two men dressed in mercenary's clothing sitting at the table, his uncle looked nervous and his aunt was chattering annoyingly, setting out tea, coffee and biscuits.  
  
The two men were ignoring his relatives as Harry walked into the room feeling quite insignificant.  
  
"Boy!" His uncle bellowed, "Meet Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin," Harry turned around surprised, usually he wasn't introduced to any visitors.  
  
"Hello," Harry said quietly. Bright blue and gold eyes moved to study him, Harry fiddled nervously with his fingers under their scrutiny, suddenly feeling too significant.  
  
"Harry I presume?" Lupin asked, Harry nodded and decided to stare at his feet. "You will be coming with us." The man suddenly said. Harry snapped his head back up and stared incredulously.  
  
"What?" Harry said and took a step back, his uncle bristled trying to gain the men's attention.  
  
"Really?" His uncle asked. Harry watched curiously as well, Black was still staring at him and he decidedly didn't look that way.  
  
"We need a hand worker and the villagers said you had a boy who'd be willing to work for us." Lupin answered nonchalantly and shrugged. "We can pay for him now."  
  
"Y-yes I just thought... he's too small... but if you want him. Okay." His uncle smiled evilly. Harry gaped he was for sale? Why wasn't he informed of this, he thought to himself. His uncle rubbed his hands together. Ah, the worldwide symbol for greed thought Harry to himself irritably. "Well he is a hard worker and does do a lot of the work around here," Harry scoffed, it was all true yet he had never heard praise from the large man before, he was going to haunt that man when he died, even if the old man was already dead Harry schemed. "He won't come cheap." His uncle finished.  
  
"What's your price?" Black suddenly said his eyes moving away from Harry and glaring at his uncle. Harry decided he did not want to be a slave.  
  
"Erm.. excuse me?" He piped up he might be twelve and tiny but he was still in charge of his own life. "I'm not for sale." He finally finished all eyes had moved in his direction, so he had asked for the attention, it didn't necessarily have to mean they all had to look at him as if he had two heads. He lowered his eyes back to his feet.  
  
"We know," Lupin finally said slowly, "We're hiring your assistance for a while." Harry looked back to the man with the golden eyes suddenly very embarrassed.  
  
"Oh." He said lamely... was that a fancy way of saying: yes, you are a slave, live with it?  
  
"So you're price?" Black stated again banging his hand on the table, Harry stared as the table groaned under the pressure. He did not want to get on the bad side of that man.  
  
"Fifteen galleons," His uncle finally said, Black growled a sound almost a replica of a dog thought Harry.  
  
"Five," Black said, sheesh he had to be worth more than that surely?  
  
"Twelve," His uncle said nervously  
  
"Seven,"  
  
"Ten,"  
  
"Eight and twenty sickles," Growled Black,  
  
"Fine." his uncle said slightly nervous. Lupin handed the money over in a bag, his uncle had opened it and was counting furiously, he finally nodded. "Boy get you're things, you're leaving." He said distractedly still pouring over his money. Well his uncle could have tried a little harder... he had to be worth more than eight galleons and twenty sickles. I mean this was his life they were throwing around.  
  
Harry shrugged turned and headed back into his room, he pulled out a small bag and threw some clothes and under garments in, he took his spare glasses and looked around his room. He then ducked his head under the bed and grabbed the ball, which he stuffed in the bottom of the bag. He quickly shrugged off his nightclothes and stuffed them in his bag as well, then quickly changed and ran back downstairs.  
  
"Is that all you're things?" Lupin asked, Harry jumped and spun around his back against the door. He nodded mutely, Lupin regarded him quietly and Black walked out from the kitchen, Harry quickly pulled on his boots on as the two walked outside.  
  
His uncle grabbed the back of his collar before he could leave, "They paid, so you better be you're worth it. I don't want them or you at my doorstep again." He was pushed out the door and had it slammed at his back. Harry rolled his eyes and bit his lip, wonder how long I'll manage to stay alive, Harry thought to himself.  
  
Harry sighed and quickly followed the two men who was joined by another man, he looked positively scary was all Harry could deduce, one enlarged eye that swiveled at its own will, a broken nose and scars in nearly all exposed skin. The man quickly gave Lupin and Black their swords and bags. Harry just stood still and gaped, oh dear what had he gotten himself into?  
  
"Harry is it?" the man called out, Harry collected himself and walked bravely towards the three very tall men. The man stared at him and turned to the others, "He's barely a child! He'll be more trouble than he's worth..."  
  
"We need a helper and I'm sure he'll learn quick enough," Lupin interrupted turning back to Harry. "You'll deal with the horses the packing and setting out and camp, all meals and you'll need to learn to use a sword, and maybe to read, write and the basics of math." Lupin said.  
  
"Okay..." Harry said... wasn't that a bit much? Lupin looked him up and down.  
  
"You can ride double with me until we can find you a horse." Lupin then turned away and Harry nodded and quickly followed the three.  
  
Author's ramblings: It's the shortest of all my chapters, I'm not exactly sure what's short or not when writing fanfiction because I don't write a lot of fanfiction.  
  
Okay you're probably thinking this doesn't sound like Harry, but my theory is if the boy's been abused for years on end, he's not going to be very social and he's young at the moment. Right I know he has his own room, erm it was a spontaneous spark of generosity from Petunia. 


	2. Chapter two

Author: Shinigami... aka meg

Summary: dh. AU. A chance and a mystery is forced onto Harry. Yet fate is never kind enough to warn you when things become rough. So when you fall too deep too fast who can you rely on? Fantasy/adventure/romance

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K Rowling and whatever else is suppose to be here, you can imagine it for yourself.

Pairings: Draco/Harry. Positively the cutest, I guess there are other pairs but I'm not focusing on them. Ron/Hermione, maybe sb/rl or ss I have no idea as of yet lol

Warnings: Slash yaoi and homosexuality whichever term preferred and err ... I don't write lemon or lime or anything graphic but I'm never sure.

An: This is my favorite chapter in this story... I don't really know if I should bother to continue this though. I wrote it ages ago and my focus has been on the beauty and the beast. But I thought I'd put this up anyway since I like it.

oh yeah almost forgot... shanks for da reviews!!! there wasn't any light because he was using the moon-light. sorrz i didn't mention it.

**Chapter two. Lessons to learn **

He was looking at three large monsters, definitely not horses, Harry just stared, he'd never seen a beast so big in his entire life. But then he had hardly ever left his uncle's house his entire life and never even ventured outside the village of Pivot. Harry felt slightly nauseous they wanted him to manage these horses when he didn't even reach past the ends of their legs? Harry sighed nervously chewing his lip.

Lupin walked into the stables, today he was going to be taught the art of managing a horse or horses. Harry stared up at the beast and hoped it wouldn't eat him.

"So what do you think of them?" Lupin walked across and started gathering some things,

"Honestly?" Harry asked, Lupin was by far the least scariest man of the group and the only member who'd bother to acknowledge him at times.

"Yes."

"Um... awfully big and creepy," One of the horses seemed to have heard him because it flicked its ear and turned its head towards him then tried to take a bite out of him. Harry yelped and jumped back.

"Well they're docile enough, but you might want to watch out for Sirius horse," Lupin said waving to horse that had tried to take a piece of Harry. "He bites." Lupin chuckled.

"Sirius?" Harry asked he still hadn't heard their full names, Lupin turned to face Harry with a frown on his face.

"Ah, my full name is Remus Lupin, Sirius Black is the man who was with me when we...hired you. And you can call Moody just Moody or he'll get moody." Lupin laughed at his own joke. Harry rolled his eyes and nodded smiling. "Well lets first learn how to saddle and bridle a horse properly, we have all day anyway." Harry nodded and got to it.

He smelled putrid, he was exhausted, hungry and bruised all over. He had learned to saddle, bridle, clean (this was extremely hard since he had to stand on a bucket half the time.) Exercise (run away while the horses chased after him), check for stones in their hooves (gain quick reflexes when they tried to kick him) and other such minorities. Then learned to ride which was Harry's first attempt and was pathetic, he fell off most of the time and had barely avoided having his head smashed out with rouge hooves. After he had finally got the hang of riding they had moved onto tying and releasing their ties in case of emergency, his fingers were sore from the repetitive motions and he had missed both lunch and dinner because of the horses.

So here he was smelling putrid, feeling exhausted, hungry and bruised all over.

"That was extremely good, I didn't think you'd learn so quickly. But you still need to work on you're timing you take too long while doing things." Lupin stated, Harry stared at the other man while looking quite thin and worn compared to Black and Moody he had a lot of stamina and strength to Harry's amazement. Then it got him thinking if he was so strong, the other two were probably stronger... probably faster too. Therefore, he couldn't run away. Sigh.

Lupin had missed breakfast, lunch and dinner as well but didn't even seem to realize, maybe the man didn't eat thought Harry to himself. Well he personally was starving.

"Um... Lupin?" Harry ventured, Lupin turned his golden eyes to him, "Is there anything to.. err.. eat?"

"Oh, we missed lunch," he looked to the sky, "and probably dinner too, you should have told me. I'll get you something when we're at the inn."

Harry had received a pair of gloves and a cloak when they were back at the inn. He was told by Sirius to wear it when they traveled and not to get them extremely dirty or torn and then was directed to the showers with Sirius waving his hand in front of his pinched nose. Harry had folded and shoved the gifts into his bag before taking out his bedclothes and dragging them down to the showers.

Harry glared at water trying to heat it with his eyes, it was too late to have it heated so he'd have to take a cold shower. He dragged the bucket over his head and yelped as hot water cascaded over him. He filled it up again and placed his hand in the water... cold. He dragged it over him again and was rewarded with hot water. Weird... Harry thought to himself.

He finished his weird bath, yawning, washed his clothes and left them to dry before dragging his tired body up to the room he was sharing with the men.

"Harry, here." Lupin said, Harry turned to face him and grabbed a cold sandwich, two apples and a glass of fruit juice. He sat on his bed and ate, they hadn't informed Harry of what they were doing or going, so Harry hadn't asked.

He was given the bed furthest from the window, and he was itching to stare at the stars but realized he was much too tired today. They'd have to wait for him Harry thought before taking off his glasses and falling back on his bed asleep.

He woke up to hushed voices, he didn't open his eyes but slowly shifted to a position where he could hear better.

"We've searched this whole village, he isn't anywhere." Someone grumbled

"But people have seen him around. That means he was here and has either left or is..."

"Dead." Somebody sighed softly. "Do we keep looking for him?"

"We need a definite answer, the town's folk are burning corpses tomorrow I'll search there. If we have an answer, we leave for Trwin in a day or two." A scratchy voice said

"That's a long journey, what about the boy?" someone asked gruffly,

"He will come with us," someone insisted, "I can feel something inside him."

"Do you think he has- "

"Not here," someone grumbled loudly

"In any case we need a helper and he learns quickly." A soft voice said

"Tomorrow he's having sword lessons." Somebody chuckled.

Something was grumbled to quietly to hear and a light was turned off, Harry kept his eyes closed and thought about what he had heard. Okay that was strange he thought to himself. So they're looking for someone, and they think he could be dead. Hmm... then they're leaving to Trwin. Where was that? He tried to jog an old geography lesson from memory but couldn't place that name to a location. Ah, well guess I'm being dragged along for the ride he thought. What was it that they thought he had he thought before falling asleep again.

"Harry get up now." A voice commanded, Harry groaned damn his muscles hurt, he was unused to all that hard physical activity. "I said get up!" he was roughly shoved off the bed, Harry yelped before landing on his sore butt.

"I'm up..." he croaked he blinked and realized it was ages until dawn, he felt around for his glasses and put them on, he blinked and looked up to the angry face of Sirius Black. Today was going to be a very long day, sighing he got up.

"Hurry up and get dressed, you can break fast after some quick stretches and a lap or two around the village." Black had already turned around and was walking out of the room. A lap or two around the village... he was joking right?

His legs were aching he did not think he could possibly stand ever again. He was sweating and the day hadn't even started he had finished running around the village and was lying sprawled on the grass.

"Get up," Harry sighed...why me? He got up and a plate of food was shoved under his nose, he grabbed the plate tiredly and ate ravenously. Sirius was carrying a wooded sword and Harry had one at his feet.

After eating, he put the plate away and grabbed his wooden sword and watched Sirius pace in front of him. Harry bit his lip, he was nervous.

"I'll be impressed if you can at least block my attacks during this lesson," Sirius ventured, Harry groaned mentally. "First I'm going to show you how to hold, stand and then swing your sword. Understood?"

"Yes sir." Harry quietly responded.

The only words to describe his sword skills were worse than horrifying, worse than his pathetic riding skills and they had only stared to swing the sword. Harry held onto his wooden sword tightly and swung it around in a 'sharp low arch,' or so it was called. His could be more described as swinging madly with hardly any strength involved.

"You, are worse than pathetic!" Sirius hit him across the head as he managed to fail another swing properly. At this rate, he wouldn't have any brain cells left after the day was over. "Are you even trying?" Sirius growled.

"I am!" Harry finally shouted back and got another slap across his head, he winced Black could really hit hard even when he wasn't even trying.

"Okay," Sirius took a deep breath, "now let's start with a diagonal slash, you try hitting me and I'll block and try putting some strength in it. And I'll hit back so be ready to block." Harry winced he had already felt what it was like to be hit by Sirius sword even if it was wooden, it had left Harry almost crying rolled up on the floor. Okay so he was crying but he was still in denial over that.

Harry swung his sword in a diagonal slash and had it was blocked by Sirius, the shock making him drop his sword... oh damn. Sirius did a quick thrust and slammed the sword right in Harry's mid-section. Harry gasped, doubled-over and had his arms around himself, his vision blurred.

"Why the hell did you drop you're sword!!" Sirius shouted, Harry couldn't hear him he lurched forward and fainted.

He opened his eyes staring at blue sky and realized everything hurt, his head down to his toes, even his hair hurt. He groaned loudly realizing he was also drenched...huh? He slowly got up shaking the water out of hair.

"Are you okay?" a soft voice asked Harry turned having his head swim for a second, and saw Lupin watching him.

"Yeah..." he lied, he never ever wanted to see a damn sword ever again in his life, real or fake... they were evil.

"He finally awake?" a gruff voice asked. Harry sighed why couldn't he have stayed unconscious, at least until the day ended?

"Sirius he's only a child, don't hit him so hard!" Lupin said angrily, Sirius looked slightly taken back. Even Harry stared at him confused.

"I was holding back! I hardly hit him!" Sirius said in defense,

"You're taps send mountains quaking!" Lupin retorted, "I'm, astonished you haven't killed the poor boy."

Harry was feeling happy for a reason he couldn't fathom, Lupin cared? It made him feel slightly giddy.

"Alright already, don't have a fit. I'll hit him lighter." Sirius said while rolling his eyes. He wasn't finished...why me? Harry sighed quietly and stood up, he was so sore there was no way he was going to be able to move tomorrow. "Harry if there is one thing I cannot stress enough is. Don't. Drop. You're. Sword! Even a bad strike is still a strike you can do absolutely nothing without your sword. Well unless you're a fist fighter. Moreover, you are much to light and weak to have any strength behind a punch. So hold onto your bloody sword!" Sirius exclaimed.

Lupin looked at Harry from where he was sitting on the fence, they were in a beautifully small glade behind the village houses where no one would accidentally stumble upon them.

"So hurry up and hold you're sword in defense position for a slash!" Sirius ordered. Harry picked up his sword his back aching all the while, his arms were also complaining about the weight.

Harry gripped his sword tightly his legs spread slightly apart for balance and his knees slightly bent to ease pressure to his legs. Sirius did a quick one-handed back slash, Harry moved his sword slightly forward so Sirius sword wouldn't hit him on the head.

Harry grunted from the pressure of the opposing sword, but surprisingly didn't fall or let go of his sword. Harry sighed and relaxed and so was utterly unprepared for the next slash from Sirius.

He hit Harry hard on his arm, Harry cried out stumbled back and fell on his very sore butt.

"Harry. You. Do. Not. Relax. In the middle of a fight!" Sirius shouted walked forward and grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him back onto his feet. "Do you understand!?" he shouted his face close to Harry.

"Yes sir." Harry said quietly and tiredly, these people were going to work him into a very early grave Harry thought to himself. Why did he need these lessons anyway?

"I think he should have a break, did you feed him lunch?" Lupin questioned, Sirius let go of Harry's shirt.

"No, take him, I'm going to find Moody. He better be ready to practice when I get back though." Sirius warned as he turned and started walking away.

Harry wobbled slightly and sat back down on the grass. Tired. So tired.

"Well come on, I'll get you lunch and I'll teach you some defense moves for bigger and stronger opponents. Don't think bad of Sirius he isn't used to beginners, he had a natural talent for sword fighting from quite a young age." Lupin smiled and Harry looked up at him.

"I can't use it." Harry finally whispered. Lupin grabbed his arm and lifted him up with that extraordinary strength Lupin seemed to possess.

"I remember my first lesson in sword fighting, I was pretty pathetic myself but perseverance pays off. You're not strong enough because you never eat anything." Lupin stated ...well how exactly am I suppose to eat anything when you people keep pushing me around! Harry inwardly groaned to himself.

Harry stared at Lupin, trying vainly to mirror his moves, gradually he finally got the hang of some of the defense techniques. He wiped perspire from his forehead as well as pushing his hair back.

Sirius walked into the glade, he stretched Harry watched fascinated, the man was as flexible as a cat.

"I'll leave you two to it then," Lupin said and walked away out of the glade... oh great he was alone with the evil sword maniac.

"So you ready to try again?" Sirius asked staring directly at Harry. Harry gripped his sword and moved into an attack stance.

"Yes sir." Harry said quietly, Sirius grinned and moved into a defensive stance, Harry took a deep breath and charged, he did a quick rotating slash which was easily blocked, then jumped back and thrust his sword. Which was also knocked away and gave an easy opening for Sirius to strike, but he held back and waited for Harry to get into a defense stance.

Sirius then attacked, Harry saw the motion and instead of blocking crouched and swung his sword at Sirius legs. Sirius jumped and landed behind Harry before Harry could get up Sirius slammed his sword into Harry's back.

Harry ended up unfurled on the ground with his face in the grass. He didn't bother to move instead lay there and tried to stop his back from killing him and trying vainly not to faint.

"You haven't fainted again have you?" Sirius asked suspiciously, Harry slowly started to get up his hands and knees shaking with the effort.

"No... s-sir," Harry sat on the grass not quite sure if his legs would be able to support him.

"Well that was a much better bout, but really you have no endurance or stamina. Well get up, might as well go back to the inn and you can start some of those writing and reading stuff Lupin likes so much." Sirius grumbled, Harry didn't move.

"Um Sirius... can you help me up?" Harry asked quietly, too embarrassed to look up at his teacher. Sirius grabbed both Harry's arms and hauled him up, Harry held onto Sirius until he was almost sure he wasn't about to fall over again.

Well he was only 'almost' sure. He let go and his legs buckled beneath him, Sirius grabbed him before he could fall, and picked him up.

"Well at least you're light." Sirius grunted. "But really, you need to exercise more. How old are you?" Sirius asked in a slightly less harsh tone than he'd been using all day. Harry relaxed in Sirius arms.

"Twelve," Harry said before he rested his head on Sirius shoulder and fell asleep.

Harry woke up to some insistence shaking, he grumbled but opened his eyes to meet blurry golden ones.

"It's time for dinner, you've been asleep for a while, it'll be better if you stay up a while or you won't be able to sleep through the night." Harry yawned and quietly nodded and crawled out of bed.

"I'm going to take a shower before I eat, Lupin?" Harry asked as he searched the table for his glasses.

"Alright," Lupin answered.

Harry looked down at his food; all three of them were sitting at a table with the dinner set out. Harry thought it was weird never actually eating with other people before, he was slightly nervous... was he suppose to act in some way? He waited until someone had started eating before touching his food, he kept his eyes on his plate and didn't say a word.


End file.
